A SINGLE mother who stole DVDs from a Swords music store has been fined a total of € 400. Vivienne Reddy, Greendale, Old Singland Road, Limerick, appeared before Judge Patrick Brady at Swords District Court last week. Reddy pleaded guilty to theft and also to a charge of failing to appear at Swords District Court on January 6th this year.

Sgt Paul Madden told the court the Director of Public Prosecutions had recommended disposing of the charge summarily and Judge Brady accepted jurisdiction. Sgt Madden said Reddy had left the HMV store in the Pavilions Shopping Centre without paying for DVDs, worth € 39.98, which were later recovered.

The court heard the defendant had two previous convictions, namely a road traffic offence and a theft offence, for which she had received a fine in 2006.

Defending 26-year-old Reddy, solicitor Laura Shannon said her client was a lone parent with two children, living on € 180 per week.

'She is living in Limerick and at the time of the incident, she was Christmas shopping,' Ms Shannon said. 'She put the DVDs in her child's buggy and left the store.

'She didn't realise she had to appear in Swords District Court. She went to Limerick and arranged to meet with gardaí there by appointment to execute the warrant.'

Sgt Madden told the court Reddy had no previous bench warrants, before Judge Brady fined Reddy € 250 for failing to appear in court, giving her four months to pay. The judge handed down a second fine of € 150 for the theft offence, giving her two months to make the payment.